Garofalo Italian Pasta with Sausage Meatballs

There is pasta and then there is PASTA! I didn't realise just how different good quality pasta could be until I was asked to review Garofalo Italian Pasta. Garofalo Pasta is created from only the finest durum wheat in Gragnano, in the shadows of the ruins of Pompeii, where Garofalo has been making pasta for more than 300 years combining the art and skill of traditional Neapolitan pasta making with the latest technology to create artisan style pasta without equal.

You know how some tastes take you right back to your childhood?  I was really rather surprised that I had that flashback when I cooked this Garofalo pasta but it tasted the way pasta used to taste and it wasn't just the taste, it was more about the texture.  When you cook standard pasta al dente, it tends to still be a little bit hard in the centre and if it goes past that stage it is generally a bit soggy. 

The difference with Garofalo pasta is marked.  The penne mezzanelle held their shape well and had real bite, I can't remember the last time I enjoyed pasta so much.  I served my pasta with sausage and chickpea meatballs with feta,  a recipe I found in  the March Delicious Magazine, it's showing on the website but the link isn't working at the moment :(  Hopefully it will be fixed soon.   The meatballs are made with crushed chickpeas, pork sausages and feta cheese.  They are fried and served in a tomato sauce. The recipe makes very light delicate meatballs, they are inclined to fall apart but that doesn't really matter as they combine beautifully with the sauce.

Looking to see where you can purchase Garofalo Pasta it seems that it is available through Ocado - Costco - Sainsbury - Harrods - Independent deli's and retailers and selected wholesalers.  As I don't have easy access to any of these suppliers I looked for an online supplier and  found it at Weetons.

Labels: Delicious Magazine, Garofalo Italian Pasta, meatballs, pasta, penne mezzanelle

posted by Janice @ 19:33 4 Comments

Spicy Pork stew with sweet potatoes and beans

I'm on a bit of a mission to try to use up food from my freezer and dry goods from the larder.  I had four pork steaks in the freezer which with some extra ingredients would make a meal for Saturday and also enough left for Monday night's dinner.

I had picked up a copy of February's Delicious Magazine and saw a recipe for Spicy pork stew with sweet potatoes and beans.  The recipe combines spices and herbs with pork, tomatoes, sweet potatoes and kidney beans in a sweet and warming stew with just the right level of spice for me.  The recipe suggested serving the stew with crusty bread, but to make it go further I added some basmati rice from my larder supplies!

As the recipe contains both oregano and coriander, I am entering it for the Lavender and Lovage,  Herbs on Saturday which is being hosted this month by Vanesther at Bangers and Mash

Labels: Bangers and Mash, Delicious Magazine, Herbs on Saturday, Lavender and Lovage

posted by Janice @ 20:21 10 Comments

Rhubarb and Marionberries

Yesterday, we went to visit Threave Gardens, near Castle Douglas.  There is a lovely walled garden, it's a little bare at the moment but with promise of things to come. The glass house is a little more fruitful, we were lucky to be able to enjoy a walk around the grounds as it was a dry day and not too windy or cold, unlike today!
 







There were also many apple trees, standard ones and also those which had been espaliered along some wires, plenty of blossom, so hopefully a good apple year.

Tayberry is a cross between a raspberry and a blackberry

The Loganberry is also a cross between a blackberry and a raspberry but resembles the blackberry more than the raspberry.

The Boysenberry is a cross between a raspberry, a blackberry AND a loganberry!

The Marionberry is a Marion Blackberry, a hybrid cross produced mainly in Marion County, Oregon, USA.

A Sunberry is a hybrid cross between two members of the nightshade family, Solanum villosum and Solanum guineense.

Blackberry variety

The Tummelberry takes it a stage further:  a purple soft hybrid fruit (tayberry) of the blackberry and raspberry created by crossing it with another hybrid of the blackberry and raspberry

Another Blackberry variety

I'll be back soon with some cooking,  I created a sort of faux mousakka tonight with all the leftovers from the weekend, so will be sharing my 'sustainable' cooking with you shortly.  Hope you enjoyed the excursion to Threave Castle and it inspires you to find some different sorts of berries.

Labels: Delicious Magazine, Loganberry, Marionberry, Sunberry, Tayberry, Threave Gardens, Tummelberry

posted by Janice @ 18:35 4 Comments